If alcohol is not controlled in your country, then feel free to drink. Now that weve looked at what the Bible says about alcohol lets switch over to application. However, similar to the Bible, it cautions against excessiveness. Lets hear from you! For example, waiting a few more years to drink in America (21 years old) compared to Spain (16 years old) is not unjust. If this is the case, then it's safe to say that alcohol is not inherently immoral. It is important to remember that even if gravely wrong actions (fornication, violence, etc.) What the bible is vehemently opposed to is drunkenness or intoxication. It is true that many of the wines probably had a slightly lower ABV (Alcohol by Volume) than todays wine. Sports teams, some religious orders, and many other organizations all have forbidden drinking alcohol. Jesus constantly reached out to sinners, but never in compromising situations. Ive seen numerous articles written on this topic. What if the State (Sweden) forbid spanking your child, would it be sin to pooch your five year old in the behind? Pastor. Enjoy wine, beer, or any other alcoholic beverage if you so choose, but only as is honoring to Christ and your fellow human beings. Answer: Abusing intoxicating drink is a grave sin if it deprives the drinker of the use of reason. It is simply warning against addiction and drunkenness. The reason is that in the act of drunkenness we are forfeiting two of Gods greatest giftsour intellect and will. Are we even allowed to drink? Sola Media Group is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Federal ID # 27-0565982. Jesus said, If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away (Matthew 5:30). The New Testament is even more emphatic in discouraging drunkenness. In fact, about once a month we get an email from somebody saying that they either disapprove of us drinking on the show or how alcohol is of the devil or something like that. If we make it seem like this is ok, its very easy for people to start being lax in other laws, natural or civil, that work for them or that people dont enforce. It helps strengthen our control over our bodily desires and avoid unhealthy attachment to the material world. I know this makes some uncomfortable; we like to know exactly where that line is. On one hand it talks about how it can a blessing. St. Thomas defines temperance as the disposition of the mind which binds the passions. Nothing should hinder that. But the line separating celebration and intoxication is often blurred. Heres 6 lessons from the Bible that will help us navigate the question, is drinking a sin? Its a grey area of the Bible. With all the churchs doctrine about vices and such, its but natural to wonder: is drinking a sin? Therefore Jesus nor the Biblical writers advocated for drinking. In the New Testament, Jesus not only turned water into wine. Sometimes. A person commits sin when they drink so much that it significantly impairs their judgement. A little one here could refer to age or ones spiritual state. Alcohol use impairs a person's judgment, reaction time, and coordination. As we mentioned above, drinking alcohol isn't a sin, but overindulging in it can be. Some people point out that wine drinking combated the problem of poor water quality in biblical times as the ingredients in wine killed harmful microorganisms present in raw water. This just enforces that church teaching that consuming alcohol is perfectly fine. Is drinking a sin, or is just drunkenness a sin? Excessive eating is also gluttony, but we can still eat and enjoy good food. For instance, Proverbs 21:17. That said, there is no direct command from God that prohibits the consumption of wine. But drinking was such a part of peoples everyday life back then. One common argument is that wine in the Bible is really nothing more than grape juice. Sam is a founder and editor of Catholics & Bible. Drinking alcoholic beverages is not a sin. All rights reserved. To make things very concrete, drunkenness has set in when you cannot (or should not) drive a car. Use your judgment and maybe talk to your priest to hear their opinion. If on a lonely country road in the flat land of Illinois I drive on the wrong side of the road in order see over the left side of a bridge am I breaking the law? Only you can really judge what your limit should be. The people around you are more important your personal freedoms. We should keep a close eye to make sure nothing takes the place of God in our life. The Bible keeps this issue in the grey, up for each Christian to decide whats the wisest and most loving thing for them to do. Lighting up is not a sin. For me to go to a bar and have a drink wouldn't be a sin. Simply put, you arent your true self when drunk. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is very concise on this point, and simply says, The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. For starters, Jesus drank. There are numerous Bible verses that extol alcohol and ones that give dire warnings regarding its intake. Also, if we were pulled over for going three miles per hour over the speed limit, we would be justifiably upsetbecause such an action would contradict nearly universal custom in terms of the enforcement of speeding laws in our country. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The login page will open in a new tab. Drinking in moderation is not a sin. But if you get drunk unknowingly (e.g. In other words we should be considerate of others struggles. Paul also exhorts Christians to abstain from drinking alcohol in situations where doing so could cause their brothers or sisters in Christ to stumble (Rom. Who would readily believe such a thing? We should strive for unity rather then create division. To legalistically use the State to reinforce sin does not help matters. You will never leave an impact on anyone if you just hold onto your freedoms and do what you want. Lets jump in, what does the Bible say about drinking? The Bible is clear that alcohol can be abused and that is a sin. What if the Sate forbid having more than two children (China), would it be a sin to get pregnant with the third? The law is very clear in stating the speed that is legal in that area. This can have disastrous consequences. So, what I want to do is take a look at what the Bible says about alcohol and then look if Christians should drink. The good God, our local Bishop, the State, my boss, all have different competencies and all require from me a different moral stance to their requests. Dont let it leave you empty inside. Few topics have been debated in Christian circles as much as drinking alcohol. What does the Bible say about drinking? Is It Okay For Christians to Drink Alcohol? There are some topics that the Bible never gives a straight answer. For one thing, it gives the student an overly legalistic approach to the moral law, it reinforces his latent Calvinism, it gives far too much moral authority to the State, it is simply not true. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. Many will respond by pointing to the prevalence of mild speeding, say, going five miles per hour over the speed limit. Whether that be alcohol, money, sex, pride, our desires, or even our own family. Is Drinking Alcohol Inherently a Sin? The reason is that in the act of drunkenness we are forfeiting two of God's greatest giftsour intellect and will. But anyone who wants to claim drinking is a sin has to face the sometimes positive light the Bible talks about alcohol in. 5:21). Throughout most of Christian history the consumption of alcohol in moderation has been widely accepted and rarely condemned. Getting drunk can be caused by different situations and some of them may or may not be a sin. Of course, the Bible strongly warns against the overconsumption of beer. However, thats not what the Bible is saying. But in some topics the Bible just doesnt do that. RC Spirituality is a service of Regnum Christi that creates life changing Catholic formation materials in many media formats. By using this website you are agreeing to our privacy policy. God gave us a community to help us strive for holiness. To educate our young in who they are as moral agents, the definition of conscience, and the proper goal of their actions is hard work. Where a culture of underage drinking prevails as the norm (and especially among otherwise serious Catholics), at a point having one or two social drinks turns into three or four (or five and six and beyond); and all of a sudden, those who were steadfast against drunkennessbut who insisted that underage drinking is OKfind themselves occasionally on the brink of drunkenness (and sometimes well past that point). The Bible is clear that alcohol can be abused and that is a sin. The lack of a law being enforced does not somehow make it right. The Powerful Meaning Of Psalm 121 (my help comes from the Lord), How To Know When To Leave A Church (and 5 things to do before changing churches), The REAL Philippians 4:13 Meaning (I can do all things through Christ). Here is another traffic example. Here are a few of them: Romans 13:13, Galatians 5:19-21, and Ephesians 5:18. From a moral perspective, alcohol is often treated with polarity. John Calvin had a 250-gallon wine stipend written into his church contract. Some verses warn about the dangers of alcohol while others talk about it as a blessing. Inevitably, students point to the fact that they can go to war and vote at eighteen. In the middle of the 19th Century, alcoholism was wide spread in America and thus there were many successful attempts to limit its use by pointing out its moral deficiency. These Catholic leaders set the spiritual tone for campus. Sins of priest and bishops that were crimes were at times treated with great seriousness. I hope that helps a little bit. But in moderation, it is encouraged. Leave a comment below! In short, I have found that this is often the last step in a radical conversionmuch like modesty for many women. With all the churchs doctrine about vices and such, its but natural to wonder: Drinking, in itself, is not necessarily a sin. But the reality is the Bible teaches that alcohol can be a good and enjoyable thing. The only thing thats clear is the abuse of alcohol through drunkenness or addiction is a sin. Dont forget to share your thoughts! Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others safety on the road, at sea, or in the air., Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2290. 1o4:1415). ET on EWTN: Holy Mass and Rosary on Saturday, April 22, 2023 Tell us where you're. We dont need to avoid those things just because they might do us harm. Husband. In fact, we even have a sacramental wine or altar wine thats specifically intended for Eucharistic celebrations. or altar wine thats specifically intended for Eucharistic celebrations. We should always seek to bring honor to the Lord in all our activities: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. In the New Testament, the first miracle of Jesus was turning water into wine. Ive drank too much in my life, but Ive only been drunk once in my life, and that was when I had heard that you had to try Sangria, its really good. For instance Ecclesiastes 9:7. People go to weddings and special events and see those in attendance lifting glasses of champagne in celebration. It continually warns against addiction and drunkenness. Alcoholic drinks have been around since 5400BC, which means the availability of fermented beverages was around even before Jesus arrived. But for the most part drinking in moderation will not hurt your witness in western societies. The sinfulness of those effects might depend on circumstances. Of course, in order to be a grave sin the excessive drinking has to be deliberate, not simplya surprise based on lack of foresight. What does the Bible have to say about the topic of alcohol use? In fact, I would wager that I have almost never (if ever) seen a student involved in underage drinking who is totally on fire for Jesus. Catholics & Bible do not intend to provide any health related advice. And there were many monks that brewed their own beer. Over time and as such a culture becomes predominantagain, amidst otherwise serious Catholicsthe general temperature of their zeal for holiness begins to go down; they often still go through the Catholic motions, but the vigor and vitality that comes from knowing Jesus personallyto the point where one gives him their entire lifesubsides. Not at all. Is drinking a sin? That same person might do well to skip the second or third beer if he has to drive a car afterward. In many states, its legal for someone to drink underage in the presence of their parentsso thats not an issue. What Freedom From Sin Looks Like in This Life. If we ever choose to do this, it can be gravely immoral and a mortal sin. (Prov. To use the argument that the State says it is illegal and thus a sin may be easier and more effective, but it does in fact stunt a students moral growth. For example, in the Proverbs verse above, its talking about drinking too much wine because the next few verses describe things that typically happen during drunkenness like, Your eyes will see strange things and your heart utter perverse things. This is true both in the Old and New Testament. Drinking alcohol becomes a sin when you abuse it to the point that you are no longer yourself, and is incapable of making conscious decisions.